April 29, 2008

Here I am again sitting and waiting for my flight.I do not even know where to begin writing about the events that took place yesterday.

It was a difficult experience that eventually got redeemed beyond my expectations!

With the camp staff training done, I was ready to gohome.It was an afternoon flight so I had plenty of time to spare in the morning to prepare for my trip.

I went to the airport and the counter of AirPhilippines was still closed. Joedan took me there early because I was just really anxious to get home.Before reaching the airport premises, I called my wife to tell her about the package that we were waiting to receive. Her voice sounded really excited to tell that it just arrived – seconds before my call. We were just really elated!

Anyways, at the queue, I chatted with two ladies from the nearby island of Siquijor.From what they told me, I took note that I need to visit Siquijor one of these days.

When it was my turn – I asked for my favorite seat ( EXIT row, WINDOW) and the man said “ Sir, did you have your ticket re-book?”I just said “No…” and he looked at me and said the most painful words an anxious husband dying to see his wife..”Sir, your ticket is dated for yesterday’s flight at 2:45PM”

I could not believe my ears!I looked at the ticket and there it was – April 27! How could I have missed it!How could I look at this ticket during the weekend and didn’t realize the date of my flight? I thought all along that what I got was a Monday flight!

I was asked to try as a chance passenger.Whooaaaa….. I have always been a CONFIRMED passenger, not a CHANCE passenger.I started to feel the tension rushing to my head as I imagined my wife getting ready or worse, already driving down the South Luzon Expressway, bearing with the traffic jams to pick up a husband who missed the flight not by a couple of minutes, but 24 HOURS!!!

I rushed to the ticketing office only to hear another bombshell:

“Sir, you need to pay P2,554 to be a chance passenger.But I need to tell you that you are going to be Priority Number 2. “

Now that sounds really funny!How can I be PRIORITY when it is all left to CHANCE?!Anyways, you know what I mean.

“If you want sir, there is a last seat available for the first flight tomorrow….”

My head was spinning. From a CONFIRMED passenger, to CHANCE passenger, to CHANCE passenger Priority Number 2 and now to the LAST Possible SEAT for the first flight the following day!

Seeing how there were a lot of passengers and CHANCE priority NUMBER 1 was really determined to be a CHANCE PASSENGER, I opted to take the last seat for the following day’s first flight. I took out my wallet – and my wallet wasn’t cooperating with me!I asked if I could use my credit card and I was told “Sir, we don’t have the swiping machine for the credit card at this time…”

So to be the LAST CONFIRMED Passenger, we rushed to find a BPI ATM…. And it seemed to me that the trycicles in Dumaguete were driving faster than Joedan (sorry bro… har har har)

Found the ATM.

Stood as the 6th in line.

My turn. The machine took my card.

Punched some numbers. Waited… and the screen showed me the amount.I did not even have the full money for it.

I lacked P100 to get the final seat on the following day’s flight. If I do not get this ticket, I will be flying on Wednesday afternoon, I was told.

Joedan gave me the P100 and I flew to the ticket counter.

“Sir, are you sure you don’t want to be CHANCE passenger NUMBER 2?”

I said calmly “I will take the last seat for tomorrow’s flight” and I saw PRIORITY NUMBER ONE stood up because they are starting to board and he needs to get ready…